Curse of the Moon Goddess
Broken Bonds

As my claws dug into Richard’s skin, the whole room froze. The only movement was Richard releasing Aleina to place both hands around his neck to try and hold me back. I could see fear in his eyes. I could understand why. My eyes had completely changed. They were a blood red and if I hadn’t known it was me, I’m sure I’d be whimpering. I’d never seen or heard of something like this happening to a wolf. The sensation was overwhelming. I, myself, wanted blood. I wanted to kill and was going to. It was as if instead of my subconscious being pushed to the back by Duncan, we had both pushed the human side of us to the back and all that existed was a raging, hungry alpha wolf. It was electrifying.

“Honey?” Olivia squeaked out.

“Don’t,” I growled, unable to recognize my own voice, “call me that. I am no longer your mate. I never wanted a mate like you. I choose, and will always choose, Aleina. She will be my mate now. And may I burn in hell if I don’t do everything I can to make that possible.”

A cry pierced the air as Olivia fell to the ground. My tucked away human side felt it too and crumbled from the pain. My wolf, however, was unaffected. He had chosen his mate long before I even knew it. His heart had no connection to the mating bond. Only my human self had not accepted Aleina till now.

I watched from the corner of my eyes as Aleina slowly stood to her feet. I felt Richard try to growl, but I shut him up pretty quick with a slight squeeze.

Aleina’s voice was shaking as she too announced, “I, Aleina, also reject my mate Richard. I choose and will always choose Jake.”

My heart swelled with pride, but quickly sunk as Aleina cried out in pain as Olivia had. Even Richard had tears rolling down his eyes from the pain of their connection being broke. He probably would have been on the ground writhing if I wasn’t holding him up.

“No,” he barely whispered out.

I brought my face to Richard as I growled out, “You deserve it. You and your twisted sister have done nothing but brought pain and sorrow since we met the two of you.”

“Who’s bringing pain to Aleina now though? It’s because of you she has to suffer this anguish,” he struggled out.

I looked him dead in the eyes as I explained, “There’s something you do not understand about Aleina. She’s much stronger than you and occasionally stronger than me. She’s not some puppet to be used for a good show. She’s as capable as any alpha wolf I’ve ever met. You’re the one who wanted to break that. That’s why she willingly chose to break you. She made that decision herself. I only showed her she could.”

I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I glanced over to see my sweet Aleina smiling at me. Her tears already dried and her face glowing with a warmth I had never thought possible. My wolf’s heart melted at the sight and even my human side was comforted by her presence.

Her face darkened as she turned to look at her ex-mate.

“Jake is right. I’m much stronger than you could ever imagine. That’s why it was so difficult for you to control me. You hurt my family, you hurt me, and you threatened to hurt these people who have always treated me like their daughter. Death is too good for you. Even the pain of the bond breaking was too good for scum like you. You deserve to be locked up in a cage of silver with only rats once a day for food, a dish of week-old water to quench your thirst,” her voice was ice cold as she continued, “Jake, will you please release him. I have something I’d like to do.”

I did as she asked, submitting to her like a puppy with a new master. I’m such a sucker for her. Even I could see that.

Aleina strolled up to Richard, who had fallen to his knees.

“Aleina, darling, please…” Richard begged.

“Don’t ever call me ‘darling’ again. As a matter of fact, don’t you dare say my name again. It causes even my wolf to wither in disgust. Secondly, I hope you enjoy your present.”

With that, she brought her arm back and punched the guy so hard I could see a tooth fly through the air. Duncan was back to his new usual self. Purring like a darn cat at every little thing Aleina did.

She turned and smiled at me. Her eyes were glowing this gorgeous blue. It must have happened to her and her wolf too. After the mate bond was broken, the two of them must have bonded the same way Duncan and I had. I could see her wolf dancing, until their light suddenly turned into fierce lightning.

“Jake, look out!”

I moved just in time to narrowly avoid the edge of a blade. One of the soldiers who had been after my family had suddenly decided to pull a low blow and attack from behind. If it hadn’t been for Aleina I would be bleeding to death right now.

The sensation from earlier returned and I was once again in hyper mode. I felt Aleina’s back against mine. I had been so caught up in Richard and Olivia I never considered they had trained these soldiers to attack without command. I could sense Aleina’s tenseness as she assessed the situation from her side. I only had one soldier to fight on my side. The other was guarding my family to keep them from coming to our rescue. I slowly reached my hand back till it grazed Aleina’s. Fireworks flamed from the touch and our wolves connected on an unnatural level. As one, we shifted. We turned in sync to the right, completing a one eighty-degree turn. I charged for the ten soldiers behind while Aleina took the single soldier I had been facing.

We had trained for so many years together, we knew one another’s strengths and weaknesses like we knew our own. Aleina was swift in her kills. My wolf relished in the frenzy of an unfair fight. She would finish off her fight then come to assist me.

Sure enough. Not two minutes later, she was barreling through the soldiers to my side. One by one, the soldiers fell. Some from blood loss, some from severed limbs, and one from getting stabbed by a fellow soldier’s sword. That one was actually humorous. We didn’t have to do anything.

About five minutes later, only one soldier was left. The one guarding my family who now had my sister by the hair. His back was pushed up against the wall so he could watch all of us. He knew my family wouldn’t attack with my sister on the line. It took everything I had to keep from moving.

As I assessed the situation, there was suddenly a bright, blinding white light in the room. The light fell gently on us, completely enveloping us. When I could finally see again, I was no longer in my house. I glanced to my left to see Aleina by my side, but no one else.

We shared a look of confusion just as an unearthly female voice rang out around us, “You wanted hell Jake? Well, I know hell and that’s exactly what I’ll be giving the two of you. May you both die for your sins!”